Hi Naturalists
It has been a while since I put fingers to keys and thought that as surveys are about to start that I would enlighten you on what this birding duffer has seen this late summer.
The shorebirds have been the best for many years, but numbers are still low for what was once one of the best spots in BC. Bigger numbers of both Least and Western Sandpipers, a few Bairds Sandpipers and above average numbers of Semipalmated Plovers. Just a handful of Greater and Lesser Yellowlegs have been seen and the same for Dowitcher Sp. A couple of times both Killdeer and Spotted Sandpipers have been observed.
The Ospreys have done really well with at least five young raised from the two visible nests, not sure about the nest in the mill yard this year, hopefully they produced also. This in turn means that there must have been good fishing for the birds in the bay this year, is that eel grass growing?
Great Blue Herons appear to have done well with lot’s of birds out on the mud.
Have only seen one pair of Bald Eagles this year, but no young have been observed, for the Herons and Osprey this could be a good thing.
Numbers of Ring-billed Gulls have decreased this year with less than half the normal arrivals in August.
Just the other day while standing in Hecate Park near the viewing tower a immature Coopers Hawk attacked a Northwestern Crow and much screaming was done by the Crow, but unbeknown to the Coopers all the Crows relations (25) were perched up in the maples and descended on the hapless hawk, who was chased off across the bay, never to try it’s luck again with a crow.
A few times I have witnessed a pair of Pileated Woodpeckers hammering away at the logs along the beachfront and the Eurasian Collared-Dove invasion has continued unabated right down into the village and have joined up with the local Rock Dove flock.
Warbler numbers have not done very well with many normal spots being very lacking.
The Tree Swallows raised a few young, but with all swallow species their numbers appear to be decreasing fast. Barn Swallows have not done very well at all in the bay with numbers at a all time low. Only once have a seen Northern Rough-winged Swallows who once nested in the banks of the rivers flowing into the estuary.
Now all these sightings and numbers are just my observations and I’m sure some of you would have witnessed some other good birds in and around our little gem called Cowichan Bay.
It won’t be long and that dastardly group the Swan and Goose counters will be out and about and i guess many stories will be told of their exploits, so stay tuned, fall is just around the corner.
Derrick Marven